Ultimately, the combination of familiar game mechanics, a lack of progression on the graphical side of things, and a story and characters that mostly fail to live up to the game’s predecessors all add up to a bit of a disappointment, and while the gameplay here is still very solid, this game is still difficult to recommend.

Darwinia is certainly “unique” and “original”. It’s a shame it’s not very “fun”.

Despite all of the new graphical features, Prey innovates little and borrows heavily from tried and true predecessors.

The character models are close to the same level of detail as the PS2 version, but unfortunately, the PSP version suffers from a shakier framerate than PS2’s version.

Playing Madden NFL 07 on Xbox 360 is like playing "Madden NFL 2002" with next-gen graphics. The drive falls well short of a touchdown, even now!

If you want to play the newest Splinter Cell game, please, find another platform to play it on. Your mileage may vary, but this game just doesn't seem to work all that well. Only buy this if the multiplayer is your main reason, or possibly only reason for playing.

Test Drive: Unlimited wasn’t specifically intended for handheld play and it shows. The wealth of content is staggering and the presentation pristine; however, a sense that this game has been unnecessarily squeezed down to size causes it to miss its potential.

Yes, it's fun, but nothing really new enough to warrant a recommendation. Die-hard Battlefield fans will see plenty of value, all others should stick with what they already have.

Overcomes what could have been crippling flaws with the same addictive gameplay, and the controls are what sells this title.

The new control scheme makes SvR 2007 much less of a button-masher as much of the grappling is now mapped to the right analog stick, although sometimes a combo button is needed for certain grapple follow-ups.

This game is a new twist on baseball. Neat in theory, but I'm not sure that cosmetic or game play changes will do much for a genre that is so well established.

Ultimately, it's ony worthwhile for those that don't have a decent gaming PC.

A solid action game, but not a "must have" title.

Carcassonne is a solid board game, but I personally feel it’s just not quite as strong as Catan, its only direct competition on XBLA. In addition, problems with the camera and presentation only add to the frustration.

The DS version of Spider-Man 3 is a lot like the DS version of Spider-Man 2, but with a new, slick touchscreen interface that, while nice, does nothing to address the problems the last game had.

Another Tony Hawk game. Don’t expect much more than that.

Even fans of the series may be hard-pressed to find this a worthwhile purchase – they already know the story.

Get the PS2 version of this collection. Do not get this version.

The career mode finally last longer than a season, but GM mode still needs a major overhaul; lacking many of the enhancements found on PS2 and 360, Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 is an upgrade only in the eyes of diehard WWE fans who want to wrestle as The Great Khali or Umaga on the go.

Better than Finest Hour, but still not where it needs to be.

Gun is intense and packed with violence and action, but it is extremely brief and tends to overdose on the M-rated excesses.

It's a solid game for baseball junkies, but it's paced like...well, a baseball game. You've got to be into it to get anything out of it.

The controls have become needlessly complicated and gameplay so slow that only advanced players will truly enjoy the depth to be found here.

The MVP engine still has some competitive advantages, but for the franchise to thrive, a move up to PS3, 360 and Wii is essential. The PS2 edition just feels dated.

Not as fun as a genuine Starfox, but it's a fair offering for his first handheld adventure.

Not as inventive at Sim City, but this clone brings some new elements to the table, making City Life one worth living.

The framerate is horribly inconsistent and random glitches in character models mar the visuals.

It's free, so you're getting what you pay for. Yes, it can be fun, but it should have been a lot better.

Pick up a different arcade collection. Unless you're really interested in some of the lesser known (for a reason) titles, such as Circus Charlie and Pooyan, you can get the other marquee games elsewhere.

The lack of co-op through the Wesker storyline is a huge disappointment.

The battle system had some potential, but is hampered by technical issues.

Top Spin 2 is the first next-gen tennis game, and that in itself is bound to attract some attention. However, even with all the bells and whistles it still isn't any more fun than Virtua Tennis was so many years ago, and in fact it suffers nnumerous crippling flaws. Only the most devoted tennis fans should really care about this one.

There really isn't much reason to take part in 2K's hockey experience on the Xbox 360.

If you have a PS3 and want this kind of experience, get "Motorstorm."

It's a wonderful tribute to the show that fans will love, but may leave fighting game fanatics cold.

It's a great game for cruising, and if you're looking for something to mellow out with after a hard day it's a great game. Hardcore race fans will want to look to other titles.

Folklore is a tale best left to the mists of time.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is a great “starter” title for younger gamers, to introduce them to the Final Fantasy universe. One of the sharper-looking titles on the DS to date!

It's a first step towards a great game, but it's not that game just yet.

Shadowgrounds is a pure top-down shooter that just doesn’t seem to come together to achieve the effects it was going for. Spooky games are spookier in first-person than they are top-down, so Shadowgrounds isn’t spooky.

This is a solid anime title, although this franchise is getting to be so repetitive that these games don't offer anything but fan service. The GC, and now Wii, line of the series was the strongest of the titles, but they need to bring more story into a title that relies so heavily on its characters.

The only thing that holds Evidence: The Last Ritual back is its excessive difficulty; otherwise, The Adventure Company has yet again crafted an amazingly vivid game that breaks expectations of what an adventure game can do.

Kursk is fine, but not stellar. If you are looking for more tanks and huge... slow levels this is probably for you. But I would probably avoid it.

A decent reworking of the original, but those allergic to cartoons won't find much to enjoy.

It lacks replay value, but forms a good matched set with Brain Age.

If you haven't done so already, do yourself a favor and get a copy of "Dark Cloud 2," which plays a bit like this and is a lot better. Steambot Chronicles isn't a bad game - it's just not very good.

This is a game that will only satisfy the most die-hard of adventure fanatics. This game lacks the essential spark of life to make an adventure game come to life.

NHL 2K7 is cheaper and more fun to play than NHL 2K8. Rush out to the discount bin and get yours now!

The game does have some endearing visuals that manage to put a funny spin on rather grim material.

Rome may not have been built in a day, but with Caesar IV it can be; ironically, a day is about all you’ll be able to take of this game. Economic micromanagement can be taxing for the casual player and the plain combat system is far from engaging.

Both more of the same and a little less. The challenges don’t hold their appeal for long and a lot of the problems from the first game have reappeared in this one, but anyone looking for a racing game that rewards you for knocking over fences and road signs will be hard pressed to find better.

Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 is just too little, too late, and released at the worst time imaginable. It is a game that was quite frankly doomed to be forgotten.

Both more of the same and a little less. The challenges don't hold their appeal for long and a lot of the problems from the first game have reappeared in this one, but anyone looking for a racing game that rewards you for knocking over fences and road signs will be hard pressed to find better.

The parachuting mechanic just isn't well-realized enough to levitate this game (ha) beyond its problems, and there are much better titles on the market this year anyways. Skip it.

All-Pro is still playing at a collegiate level; while not bad in multiplayer online, there’s simply no depth for the single player who is looking to carry a franchise through to greatness over several seasons; that feature’s just completely MIA.

PS2 owners without a PSP or 360 should get this in a heartbeat, but know that you’re getting some really worn-out hand-me-downs. PS2 owners with a PSP or 360 should stick to the games on those platforms.

Aside from an awkward control system, it’s hard not to appreciate the effort that went into making GUN Showdown more than just a straight port.

While it doesn’t have the same kind of fast-paced fun as Meteos or Planet Puzzle League, Prism: Light the Way still has some unique gameplay that will appeal to puzzle fans looking for a more slow-paced game of logic and spatial reasoning. At least, so long as they don’t mind the cutesy character designs and hideously saccharine music.

Chess-nerds, rejoice! The game that beat Gary Kasparov is back and it knows the game a whole lot better than you ever will!

A true sequel to the old After Burner games worthy of the series mantle, but at the same time showing just how dated the series’ gameplay looks today. Unless you still play the old arcade games, this game will feel outdated now.

Low-tech and lacking in ambition that would make the game stand out from other aerial combat titles, Snoopy vs. the Red Baron is still entertaining, in spite of awkward controls that make the game harder to control than it ought to be.

This is a great concept that fell short. If you want an easy game that can steal a few hours you've found it.

Ultimate Masters is ultimately far short of a masterpiece. It's Total Eyestrain Theatre.

The game still provides a compelling adventure, albeit a frustrating one. The camera and aiming are deplorable, but after some time it is manageable.

It's unbalanced, oddly paced and blocky...but there's no denying that a certain charm persists beneath it all, and I found myself playing long after I had enough to review it.

This isn’t Smash Bros., it’s not taking XBLA’s top spot from Geometry Wars any time soon, and it often gets frustrating thanks to various design flaws. However, it does at least offer a nice distraction with some unique gameplay.

Overall fans of the original will be satiated with another entry in the series, but this game just feels really dated.

If you aren't easily offended and you're looking for a good brawler, God Hand is worth a try.

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground adds all kinds of new features, but it also adds all kinds of new problems. And yet for everything new they’ve absent-mindedly tossed in here, I’d really rather just go back and play Tony Hawk 4.

The only multiplayer is a two-player split screen. Four players is too much apparently and going online is out of the question. Not a great system seller in this regard.

Front Mission makes for a somewhat mediocre SRPG when put up against other titles on the market. The battles don’t require too much thought, and as a result the game gets repetitious very quickly.

This is not a game, but it's also not the audiovisual tool Nintendo would like you to think it is. It's a toy, and it won't hold your attention for too long.

Doesn't provide much more in the way of improving upon the original formula, and manages to totally demolish the fantastic enemy AI on the trip over to Sony's console.

Take a look up yonder and read over the tracklist to see if it suits you, because it was seriously lacking for both me and Lisa.

PAIN would be a great game if it were actually a game. Instead, it’s like a brief demo that you’re being charged $10 to play.

If you like biting your controller and being frustrated at a game that freezes after you've failed to save it for 8 missions, it's for you.

Fans of card and parlor games will find some good stuff here, even though they’ll have to shuffle through the various games included here to find it. Just keep in mind that you can play games just like these for free on your PC.

It's possibly the first decent Pixar game. Young gamers who liked the movie will get a kick out of it, but older gamers will be better off with the dozens of other racing games out there.

There's something strangely narcissistic about games starring musicians as themselves.

It’s a thinking man’s war game worth a shot if you’re in the mood for something different.

I'd recommend keeping your copy of NHL 2K7 and pretending this year's version never actually came out. Like an NHL videogamers lockout or something.

It may not be my first pick for a puzzle game to play on the DS, but Super Collapse! 3 gives players a healthy variety of game modes and options to the point where the wealth of variety makes up for an otherwise mediocre core game.

Its pretty, but like Chrome its mostly flash and little substance. At least you can show it off to your friends.

Without the infrastructure and game sharing, the game fails to capitalize on a lucrative multiplayer experience and instead settles for mediocrity.

Eragon is an experience better read than played!

Scurge: Hive had potential to be a great game. Metroid + isometric perspective sounds like a winning formula. Unfortunately, Metroid Fusion + isometric perspective + frustration doesn't fare quite as well.

The game is rated “M” and one of the descriptors is “Language.” This is because the nondescript soldiers shout out obscenities when under fire, randomly and without much purpose. It’s a weird little quirk, and one wonders if the designers did just to ensure an “M” rating.

Save the money and get the original Xbox version.

For the die-hard hoops fans this is of interest, mostly for the story aspect. The gameplay can be a bit... awkward at times, but veteran players of basketball games shouldn't have much of a problem.

It’s the best game in the series so far, but it’s not really that greatly improved over the original, and it still seems like a missed opportunity to make something that really, well, cooks. It’ll be enjoyable for young food enthusiasts, but everyone else will probably want to wait until mama gets a bit more serious about cooking.

Dungeon Maker: Hunting Grounds is the equivalent of light summer reading; fun and frothy, but not overly involving, slow or ponderous.

MLB 2K6 is solid, but graphic ugliness ruins the whole stew.

Get this game if you’ve got a 360 and friends to play against, you’ll have a blast.

There are better driving games, certainly, but if you absolutely must have a driving game based on this movie, this is pretty much your only choice.

If you have fond memories of this game, and don’t mind the 360’s crappy D-pad, go for it, I guess. Everyone else, you’re better off getting Street Fighter II or, better yet, the latest Mortal Kombat game when it comes out.

If you’re really dying for a great tennis game on your PC, import the European release of "Virtua Tennis 3." The PC version of Top Spin 2 is a long-overdue and shoddy port of an already imperfect game.

It looks nice, and the plot is well developed, but they seem to forget games have to be fun to play.

Inspired from the somewhat average Mortal Kombat: Deception on PlayStation 2, this reduced version features too many omissions to be as enjoyable.